National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024
Submission 285
Good evening,
I am writing regarding the proposed changes to the NDIS Amendment Bill 2024 and would like to say the I fully support all issues raised by the Every Australian Counts team, including the following:
- Co-design is not required: The Bill now requires the Minister to consider co- design principles, but it doesn’t make this a legal requirement.
- Does not take a Whole of Person Approach: The Bill may not fully account for people with multiple and interrelated disabilities, which could lead to inadequate support.
- Unclear review and appeal rights: The Bill lacks a clear way to appeal or replace your needs assessment.
- Broad powers to require assessments: The Bill provides the.NDIA with broad powers to require medical assessments, which could be difficult to obtain.
- Limits on Support and Spending: The Bill gives the NDIA a lot of power to control how participants use their funding, reducing participant choice and control.
- Punitive measures: The Bill gives the NDIA new powers to change how participants’ plans are managed and raise debts if they decide funding has been misused.
Whilst I may not be educated enough to fully understand all the changes that are proposed, i would like to point out the difference that the NDIS has made
has multiple issues with no clear diagnosis and has never fitted into ‘a box’, which over the years and prior to the introduction of the NDIS meant he did not qualify for any funding/assistance.
Our family funded speech therapy, occupational therapy, dieticians, physiotherapists, p psychologists, private special schools and other therapies over the years. This was obviously a financial burden which we managed by forgoing other things for our family. With today’s cost of living pressures, I am not sure how families will be able to support their loved ones with disabilities if they do not obtain assistance through the NDIS.
is now 27 and with the support he obtains through the NDIS, he is doing things I never imagined possible. Although he still has many issues and cannot read or write and has problems with his communication skills, he has friends, goes out on supported outings, is employed part-time through supported employment, participates in supported sport and fitness activities and feels like a valued and well loved member of our community. This has been achieved though lots of hard work, but is also credited to the NDIS funding he receives. Our ultimate dream is to set up so that he can live independently when we are no longer here and not be a burden on society, however without the NDIS support,
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024
Submission 285
ongoing training and therapy, this would be an impossible dream.
I have to admit I have always found the NDIS funding category’s confusing e.g core supports vs Capacity building supports and the breakdown within these categories and it concerns me that the Bill may further limit how the participants use their funding. I cannot understand why it needs to go against a particular category, rather than being one category to cover all reasonable expenses which meet the NDIA requirements. I think this would make it a lot easier for participants and their family members to manage their individual NDIS plans.
I understand that the NDIS is not sustainable in its current format and that change is needed, however I ask that those people who are doing the right thing with the NDIS are not disadvantaged by these changes and that they do not find themselves paying the price for other people’s dishonesty.
I was not sure whether to write this email, as I do not know what I can contribute when there are qualified and intelligent individuals leading this review. But I wanted to let you know what the NDIS has done for and that any detrimental changes would be devastating to not only but our family as well.
Kind Regards
Lisa May